SM
Newcastle vs. West Ham: 12 hrs 55 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data

Consistent Verstappen 'practically unbeatable' - Villeneuve

:Headline: Consistent Verstappen 'practically unbeatable' - Villeneuve:
Max Verstappen is "practically unbeatable" at present, according to fellow world champion Jacques Villeneuve.
Sports Mole

Max Verstappen is "practically unbeatable" at present, according to fellow world champion Jacques Villeneuve.

In Austria, the Red Bull driver claimed his fifth consecutive victory - after topping every single session at the Red Bull Ring including two separate qualifying sessions and races.

"If you look at the other drivers, they all have their ups and downs," Villeneuve told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "But not Max."

Dr Helmut Marko even thinks it was the prospect of a weekend clean-sweep, rather than the extra point, that motivated Verstappen to push so hard for a fresh set of tyres to set the fastest race lap at the very end.

"I immediately said no, but he wanted those new tyres and he was unstoppable in this desire," Marko smiled. "Now he can sleep peacefully.

"He is driving with unbelievable ease."

It was also a weekend marred by the 'track limits' issue, with even seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton punished multiple times for breaching the white lines.

Verstappen, however, was almost nearly flawless on that count, too.

"I mean, you know where the lines are, right?" said the 25-year-old. "But it's true I also had a lot more grip and traction."

Indeed, although Aston Martin, Mercedes and Ferrari have diced this season to be 'best of the rest' behind Red Bull, the gap to Verstappen has remained fairly static.

"Exactly," said Verstappen when told that team rivals' efforts to frantically upgrade their cars has not yet paid off.

"But I loved all the articles about it," the Dutchman laughed.

Hamilton's patience, in particular, appears to be boiling over at Mercedes at the same time as he negotiates for a new contract beyond this year.

The man he is negotiating with, Toto Wolff, even publicly rebuked the 38-year-old on the radio during Sunday's race over Hamilton's constant complaints about rivals' track limits violations.

"Lewis, the car is bad - we know. Please drive it," Wolff told his star driver.

He is hoping for better this weekend at the British GP.

"I heard that Ferrari and McLaren had an upgrade here," Wolff said in Austria. "That could be an explanation. We'll bring one to Silverstone and then we'll see where we are."

But even Wolff admits that while Red Bull may have the best car, Verstappen is clearly the best driver at the moment.

"Only the Red Bull with Verstappen is consistent," he said. "Even with the other car, there are these fluctuations we see with (Sergio) Perez."

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso agrees: "You see the same thing with us also at Ferrari and Mercedes. Only the Red Bull is consistent."

Meanwhile, the FIA has urged the Red Bull Ring to add gravel traps at turns 9 and 10 next year in order to end the farcical 'track limits' issue.

"There are natural track limits," said Kevin Magnussen. "That should be enough."

body check tags ::

amp_article__517570 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2023-07-03 23:14:13:
html db last update - 2023-07-03 23:14:13 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html

Click here for more stories about Max Verstappen

Click here for more stories about Red Bull

Share this article now:
TW
Read Next:
Mercedes built F1 car for Brad Pitt film
>


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about Max Verstappen Jacques Villeneuve Toto Wolff Lewis Hamilton Helmut Marko Fernando Alonso Kevin Magnussen Formula 1
Follow @SportsMole for the latest breaking news stories, and follow @sm_headlines to get every headline from Sports Mole
Recommended Next on SM
Mercedes built F1 car for Brad Pitt film
Man City 'heavily scouting' injured Palace star as January approach readied

Page options

Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Mbappe, Valverde, Bellingham register as professional Real Madrid overcome Leganes

1

MV

More Estevao wizardry: Chelsea prospect helps send Palmeiras top of Brasileiro

2

ME

Monday's Serie A predictions including Empoli vs. Udinese

NEW

3

MS

Preview: Burton Albion vs. Charlton - prediction, team news, lineups

4

PB

Wolff 'lucky' to get Bottas back at Mercedes

5

W'

Triple boost? Real Madrid could have three players back vs. Liverpool

6

TB

Preview: Man City vs. Feyenoord - prediction, team news, lineups

7

PM

Man City 'heavily scouting' injured Palace star as January approach readied

8

MC

"We are learning" - Amorim delivers verdict on Man United draw at Ipswich

9

&A

Preview: Sporting Lisbon vs. Arsenal - prediction, team news, lineups

10

PS


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .